The Funeral

My grandfather's funeral was this morning.  We met early at the ward building to gather our thoughts, and the grandchildren were invited to share some memories or other thoughts about Grandpa as desired.  All of us spoke for a minute, and it was an emotional time.  After the small family time, the pre-funeral viewing started.  Lots more people coming through, so I stuck with dad and Madison again.  During the family prayer, after the casket had been closed, there was some kind of hubbub in the hallway and the door opened once or twice.  I didn't think anything of it until Brad told me that President Monson was there.  I couldn't figure out how he knew this, but he had been standing right by the door during the family prayer and had heard President Monson ask to be let in, and heard the Bishop apologize and tell him the prayer was already being offered.  Apparently, when the mortuary guy left the room to the Bishop and the family, one of the other guys from the mortuary came running up and said, "Presiden Monson is here!"  So they ran back to the room we were all in, at which point the Bishop was stepping out and it was too late.  So when we went in to the chapel, there he was, sitting up on the stand.  Well.  My nervousness about playing the violin shot through the roof. The playing went fine, and it was a lovely funeral, with just the right balance of humor and spirituality.  I felt like the talks captured a bit of the essence of the Grandpa I knew, and there was laughter along with tears.  President Monson of course, spoke, and reminded us all that this is a temporary separation, and bore testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

After the service, the family left first, but then I backtracked into the chapel to get my violin, at which point, I was able to shake the prophet's hand. 

We proceeded to the gravesite, where members of the National Guard were present.

I didn't catch it on camera, but they saluted as the hearse drove by, and if you look right over the pallbearers' shoulders on the right you can see them saluting the casket as it passes by to the vault. 

The Guard ceremony continued, complete with guns fired that made me jump, and a very dignified folding of the flag on the casket, which was then presented to my Uncle Peter with the words, "This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Army as a token of appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service". 

After my Uncle Tom dedicated the grave, the pall bearers remove their lapel flowers and put them on the casket, which happens to be a beautiful practice.   

My mom and her five brothers together. 

We got some family pictures while we were there. 

 

After the graveside, we went to the luncheon at the church, where they had set up all the flowers along the stage. 

 

There was a bit of distribution that needed to take place back at the house, so we convened up there.  Ties were chosen. 

 

Jewelry was chosen by the granddaughters by 'lottery'. 

 

One of the pieces I chose was a pair of cuff links. 

Despite the sadness of the day, we smiled and divvied everything up, which was strange in of itself. 

Lastly, it was my cousin Rachel's daughter's birthday--we had to celebrate!  My aunt Mylene grabbed some extra pieces of cake from the luncheon dessert and we presented them to little Claire. 

She is a super cute little girl, and we're happy to be able to see Rachel, Isaiah and Claire where we live! 

The day was long and beautiful.  I appreciate Grandma and Aunt Emily for helping out with our girls so we could focus on the services and the adults.  Emotions make you very tired, and I have been thinking about emotions all day.  I have been much more sad than I thought about all this, and it took me a while to figure it out.  I miss my grandmother.  A lot.  I've already said this.  But my grandfather was around just as much.  He didn't take as direct a role as my grandmother, but he was always around at Sunday dinners, and holidays, and it seems like he will always be in the playroom, watching tennis on the TV.  While yelling.  That's part of it, but then I realized it's kind of like the end of an era.  Of course my parents are still around, and all that, but my grandparents were such a part of my childhood, I feel like it's truly the end of that part of my life.  Then there's the piece about my parents home.  They will be moving into my Grandfather's house to be closer to my uncles.  So I have a physical place to miss, too.  I grew up in the house they are leaving.  In the grand scheme of things these are not even minor issues, but actually delineating them helped me figure out why I felt sadder than I had thought I would.  Life goes on, on both sides of the veil, and the occasional sad moment or even moment of tears is just part of the grand plan.